This article presents an adaptive method for ArduPilot-based autopilots of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). ArduPilot is a popular open-source vehicle software suite. We explore how to augment the PID loops embedded inside with model-free control method. The augmentation, adopted both attitude and total energy control, uses input/output data without requiring explicit model UAV. augm...

Analyses of aviation safety reports reveal that human-machine conflicts induced by poor automation design are remarkable precursors of accidents. A review of different crew-automation conflicting scenarios shows that they have a common denominator: the autopilot behaviour interferes with the pilot's goal regarding the flight guidance via 'hidden' mode transitions. Considering both the human ope...

The problem of attitude stabilization of a fighter aircraft is investigated in this paper. The practical aspects of a real physical system like existence of external disturbance with unknown upper bound and actuator saturation are considered in the process of controller design of this aircraft. In order to design a robust autopilot in the presence of the actuator saturation, the Composite Nonli...

– thermostat – chemical plants with valves, pumps – control modes for complex systems, eg. intelligent cruise control in automobiles, aircraft autopilot modes • Coordinating processes: systems which are comprised of many interacting subsystems (called multiple agent, or multi-agent systems) typically feature continuous controllers to optimize performance of individual agents, and coordination a...

Two preliminary studies explored differences in language and style between the design perspective and the operational perspective of autoflight systems. In the first study, responses of an expert pilot and an expert engineer to a set of incident reports involving an autoflight system were compared. In the second study, chapters describing an autoflight system in the system manufacturer's manual...

Matthes and Uustalu (TCS 327(1–2):155–174, 2004) presented a categorical description of substitution systems capable of capturing syntax involving binding which is independent of whether the syntax is made up from least or greatest fixed points. We extend this work in two directions: we continue the analysis by creating more categorical structure, in particular by organizing substitution system...